Natalia Grace’s story has been the focus of a two-part ID docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace and The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Natalia Speaks. The first part was released in May last year – investigating her adoptive parents’ claims that she was secretly an adult – and the second part, which came out this month, allows Natalia Grace’s version to be heard. The series streams on Discovery+ and Max, which can be subscribed to via Amazon.

If you haven’t seen the popular docuseries yet, here’s a summary of her background, current situation, and the reason why netizens are drawing parallels between her case and the one in the unsettling 2009 film, Orphan.

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What did the Barnetts say about Natalia Grace?

According to Today, Natalia Grace Barnett was adopted by Indiana couple Michael and Kristen Barnett in 2010. Michael explained in the docuseries how Natalia Grace’s Ukrainian birth certificate indicated she was six years old at the time.

He said that the couple quickly started questioning Natalia Grace’s age, noticing things like pubic hair and menstruation. Michael also noticed a supposed “dark side” to his adopted daughter, saying she would do things like urinate on his youngest son and even allegedly trying to kill Kristine by poisoning her coffee and dragging her into an electric fence, per Today.

Natalia Grace has since rebutted the claims, stating that Michael and Kristine were taking ideas from the 2009 horror film Orphan, where a newly adopted daughter goes on a murderous rampage against her family.

According to Today, the Barnetts successfully changed Natalia Grace’s birth year to reflect the fact that she was supposedly born in 1989, and they moved her into a rented flat for her to live alone in before moving to Canada.

What did Natalia Grace do to the Mans?

Natalia Grace later met another couple, Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, who invited her to live in their home within three days of meeting her, per Today.

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While the Mans seemed to be very supportive of their newly adopted daughter at first, the last two minutes of episode six of the docuseries seems to suggest a twist in the tale.

A block of on-screen text reads: “Two weeks ago, and six months after Natalia’s adoption, the producers got a shocking phone call.”

“Something ain’t right with Natalia,” Antwon says in the clip. “This girl is tweakin’. I feel like she’s the enemy in the house. And she said to us, we have held her hostage. Made us look like we’re the enemy.”

“Natalia is stabbing her family in the back over a complete lie,” his wife Cynthia adds.

“She’s done other things, too,” Antwon continues. “But this was a new low. Natalia does not have emotions for nothing but herself. We’re done. We’re done with her.”

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In a recent interview with British media, Cynthia said she and her family were working through their issues with Natalia Grace, but “she doesn’t live with [them]” and is currently “living with friends”.

Natalia Grace has since seemingly created a GoFundMe page seeking US$20,000, to ask people for “a fresh start in life”, USA Today has reported.

So how old is Natalia Grace Barnett actually?

The biggest question remains – how old is Natalia Grace really? According to People magazine, a DNA test seemingly concluded that she’s currently around 22 years old, meaning she would’ve been a child when she was adopted by the Barnetts in 2010. However, some sceptics are still not convinced, suggesting the documents could still have been faked or altered.

Who is Natalia Grace’s biological mother?

In 2019, investigators tracked down Natalia Grace’s biological mother Anna Volodymyrivna Gava, per InTouch Weekly. A DNA test revealed that Grace and Gava were a “99.999 per cent match”, according to the magazine.

When asked why she put Natalia Grace up for adoption, Gava revealed on the docuseries how doctors had said her daughter wouldn’t be able to walk and would need surgery costing up to US$100,000, which Gava couldn’t afford.

“I didn’t initially want to leave her, but the doctors said there is nothing you could do for her. ‘You are young,’ they said, ‘You are 24 years old. Don’t ruin your life, you will have other children,” Gava added.